Something is certainly happening here, especially when you examine the click-through rate on the same data set.
The hypothesis on click-through rate with AI Overviews would be that ads get fewer clicks. So far, that seems to be true, with click-through rates down across the board. Again, this is most notable in the 5-7 search term length buckets.
This would align with the thought that the more detail someone enters into the query, the more likely Google surfaces an AI Overview due to the more defined query.
The search volume is there, as impressions have not decreased. However, it’s important to note that while CPCs have been rising, CTRs have declined over the past six months, coinciding with the rollout of the AI Overviews.
Action items: Adapting to the new search environment
Monitoring search term data
Begin by tracking your search term data. This allows you to understand how your specific product and keyword sets are being influenced and identify any shifts or trends that might indicate changes in consumer behavior.
Analyzing consumer behavior
If you notice a shift or evolution in how consumers are searching, it’s time to dig deeper. Analyze the data to uncover insights that can influence the types of landing pages, ad copy and content you create.
As consumers move from traditional search queries to more conversational searches, they provide more direct insights into their intent, which can significantly improve conversion rates.
Monitoring LLMs
We’ve started tracking various LLMs (such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini) to observe how frequently they display certain brands and how these results fluctuate daily.
For example, over a week, the presence score (how often a brand appears across different LLMs) can vary by as much as 20% daily.
Understanding and monitoring this data in these early stages can provide a competitive edge as the pace of change in search technology continues to accelerate.
Random finding
I had no idea that consumers search only with emojis. This is not something I had considered doing myself.
However, after looking through the search query results, I found many emoji-only searches.
The example above shows consumers looking for the movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Google is smart enough to interpret and map these searches correctly.
Depending on your vertical and brand, this could be an untapped opportunity worth exploring.
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